The one on Stormdrane’s site is much neater looking, as you would expect from seeing his other work. I don’t think I would wear it, but then again, he says he would prefer one of his other styles too. The local cat with the wacky hat had bights hanging out past the brim. The coil of line looked too tangled to use without a bit of work first. Assuming you’re doing this for emergencies, you may not have the leisure or ability to untangle it.

Stormdrane also links to some other hats on his site from this page. Those hats would be more along the lines of something I would wear. You also have to remember that if I leave my house I have on a hat — with a paracord hat band of some sort. For a hat to be so FUBAR that I would never think of wearing it, it has to be fairly far beyond the realm of normalcy.

While you are at the Stormdrane blog, look around. He has some very nice photos of some very nice work with paracord.

Thank you for dropping by my site.
Come back again; wave if you see me at the parade of knots:
William

This hat band was made at the request of a friend. He needed something he could wear that wouldn’t excite negative comments — or cause excitement. Most dress wear hat bands, shoes, and belts are black. This made choice of color easy. The thin 4 strand braid seemed like a good compromise between something people wouldn’t see in a negative light, and something people wouldn’t see at all. The Turk’s Heads that form the keeper and dress up the loose end add a little flair.

In the picture you can see a leather band under the one I made — this is my hat and came with that band. His hat wasn’t available for the picture.

The braid ends up being about 1/2″ wide by 1/8″ thick.

The keeper is a 9 Lead X 4 Bight Turk’s Head knot, doubled.

On the loose end of the braid I first made a double Matthew Walker knot. This didn’t seem to hold its own next to the keeper, so I used it as a mouse and clapped on a Turk’s Head of 5 Leads X 4 Bights, doubled. The ends of the braid were trimmed short as a random length 4 strand tassel.

This hat band was inspired partially by curiosity about making one by crocheting it. The rest of the motivation came from seeing all the attempts to carry lengths of paracord in an unobtrusive way for emergency use. I almost always wear a hat band made from braided paracord. I do so because I like the look — and I tie knots for a hobby. I am accustomed to the concept. But some of the attempts to carry too much cord, in a too casually made hat band, floor me. The one that always comes to mind when I am putting on my hat was one with a loose, sloppy coil of about fifty feet, held to the hat with zip ties. One day I decided to see if there was some way to carry that much cord — without looking like you tripped and fell in the rope locker.

The hat band that resulted was this one. I remembered how a sweater will unravel and leave you shivering while holding a long string of yarn. I decided that crocheting might work. There was one problem — I didn’t know how to crochet. I went on-line and found some basic tutorials on the craft. After a little practice, I grabbed a spool of paracord and started. This hat band ended up holding an amazing sixty feet of paracord. I must admit I wouldn’t wear this hat band to anything but a casual affair. But if I wanted to carry that much cord, it would be my first choice. The other advantage over other braids is that it is all one length of cord. My hat band is made out of an 8 strand braid, with doubled cords, and probably holds as much. That one, however, has several shorter lengths — not sixty feet in one cord.

While making this hat band I was pleased to think that this was another craft, along with knitting, that was practiced by old time deep water sailors.
They also had to “make and mend” their own clothing. If you were shanghaied out of a bar, you started the voyage with the clothes you stood in when you were coshed. You also wouldn’t have enough money to buy ready mades from the slop chest. Until you had worked off the crimps fee, the only way to get more was to sew, or crochet / knit them.

I have other hat bands on my site; you can reach them at these links:

The first one is a bi-colored 8 strand braid, with doubled paracord strands.

The second one is a 3 Lead X 26 Bight Turk’s Head knot. A little dressier looking than the 8 strand sinnet.

The third one is an even dressier hat band made from a 7 strand sinnet of under 1, over 2, under 2, over 1, braid. It is made in black paracord for a more subdued look.

Thank you for coming by my site. If you know of any way to improve on this hat band, please let me know. Come back again. After a few test-only posts, I’m going to be posting some more pix. See you next time:
William

In a previous post, I showed a hat band made from a 7 strand sinnet. This was a new-to-me braid, of under 1, over 2, under 2, over 1, weave. I thought it made a handsome hat band because of the bold looking over 2, under 2, pattern on the centerline. While studying it, I decided it would also make a good looking knot.

I usually tie my knots like the boaters I learned from, sailor fashion. I tie them in hand, loosely, and slightly larger than needed. The knot is then put in its final home, and worked down tight. Because I did not have a pattern table in my head for this knot, it wouldn’t work this time. I do not usually use a mandrel — but I have been considering it. It seems like most people who have a name in the knot world use them. But I didn’t have the mandrel or the pattern to follow. I tied this knot using the leather worker’s method espoused by Mr. Bruce Grant in his books on horse tack. It worked the first time, to my surprise, and satisfaction.

I present for your critique, my new-to-me knot. I still think the central weave pattern is handsome and bold looking. Because this knot isn’t large enough to see the length of braid visible in the hat band, it doesn’t stand out as much. But I still like it.

Let me know what you think. I appreciate thoughtful comments on my site, and my knots. Come back again; the parade of knots marches on:
William

A few posts ago I showed you a new hat band I had
made so I could have one with a classier look
than my bi-color eight strand sinnet. When watching
TV, I keep my hands and the unneeded portion of my
brain busy by playing with string. This semi-
mindless messing around is what I call
the “Monkey Method” of knot tying. It has allowed
me to figure out how to tie knots that I couldn’t
learn any other way. Every once in a while it lets
me discover how to make a new-to-me knot or braid.
On that day I came up with a seven strand sinnet of
under 1, over 2, under 2, over 1 weave. The count
works from either edge — the over 2, under 2 in
the center of the sinnet makes it look bolder than
most other braids of this width. At just under an
inch, and done in black, it fulfills my need for a
new and dressier hat band. Because the plait is
formed by an under 1, over 2 from alternating sides,
it builds quickly.

The only drawback to this plait is that there is
minimal inter-strand friction. This means your
fingers must supply the holding force to keep it
tightly woven while you work the strands.

The floor is still open for comment on how to make
a better looking hat band for dress occasions. I
like this one, but lacking other ideas, will wear
it.
But I am not so conceited as to think I have
invented the ultimate braid — I leave that
distinction open for you to win. Let me know how
you think this hat band could be bettered, or
replaced with its better kin.

I greatly appreciate your visits / comments. Come
by again, and don’t feel shy about making a comment:
William

My third post was of an 8 strand braid with doubled strands used as a hat band. It made for a bold graphic look, and was well received. The only problem was, it was too bold and too casual for some occasions. I needed a more subdued and slightly dressier hat band. This is what came of that need. It is a 3 Lead X 26 Bight Turk’s Head knot. The ends are hidden under the knot as usual. Some of the folks who have seen this hat band are a little confused by this. They think it is a normal three part braid like they’ve seen their whole lives. It is amusing to watch them keep turning the hat round, and round, and round, looking for the ends they can never find.

I could use some advise. This hat band serves its function well, but it is too casual for some events. How can I make a knotted / plaited hat band that is dressy enough to wear at the high-toned events I go to on the odd occasion? It would have to be black or nearly match the color of the hat. But what knot or braid would be sedate and dressy enough? Let me know your ideas via comments. It would be greatly appreciated.

This is the next sample of my work: a braided hat band made with paracord in a 8 strand flat braid with doubled strands. It does add a few ounces to your hat but I have received many positive comments while wearing it. Please tell me what you think and if there is any way to improve it.